1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to batten elements secured to a roof and which in turn are used to secure tiles to a roof and, more particularly, to batten elements made of metal or plastic and to a method of making the battens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,163,034 (Phippen) discloses binding strips for roofs. While the binding strips perform a different function from battens currently used on tile roofs, they disclose a cross section or configuration with channels on the bottom of the strips to provide for the runoff or draining of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,283 (Benoit) discloses a single ply roofing system which includes the use of rectangular battens. Such rectangular battens are typical of the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,306 (Schauffele) discloses a roofing system in which a plastic bar, or batten, with a curved top portion is used to help hold a flexible waterproof membrane in place on a roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,141 (Miko) discloses a roofing system which utilizes a rectangular, wooden lattice (batten) to help secure concrete roofing panels to a roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,211 (Russell and Tubbesing) discloses a plastic batten to help secure a membrane to a roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,445 (Jong) discloses a roofing system which employs wooden batten elements having a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, typical of the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,342 (Hasan et al) discloses the use of plastic batten strips having a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration in a membrane-based roofing system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,252 (Tiscareno) discloses the use of extender elements with typical rectangular wooden battens of the prior art for a tile roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,807 (Vasquez) discloses roof battens for tile roofs, and the battens have grooves in their bottom side to allow water to drain through the battens. The batten of the ""807 patent may be made of plastic or wood, and their cross sectional configuration is generally rectangular.
Roof battens in contemporary use are typically scrap lumber 1xe2x80x3 by 2xe2x80x3 elements. The manufacturers of the batten elements typically do not take time to place grooves on the underneath side for the draining of water. Neither do the roofers, who apply the battens and use them for fastening tiles, take the time to put the grooves on the bottom. Accordingly, water that gets behind the battens collects and eventually rots the tar paper/felt and wooden battens. This in turn leads to leaky roofs.
The wooden battens of the prior art, and also plastic battens of the prior art, both having a generally rectangular configuration, have an obvious problem of being difficult to store in quantities since their cross sectional configuration prevents nesting. They are accordingly simply stacked like lumber is stacked.
The battens of the present invention are stackable or nestable and thus conserve space and are easily transported. The battens of the present invention are primarily illustrated as being made of metal, but they also may be made of plastic, or the like. Holes are punched through them for water drainage. Since they are not made of wood, there is no warpage, curling, splitting, expanding, contracting, etc., and they are made of recyclable material. They are essentially waterproof, will not rot, mildew, or gain weight by absorbing water. They are easily secured to a roof and receive tile elements easily and conveniently.
The invention described and claimed herein comprises batten elements for securing roof tiles to a roof. The batten elements have a cross sectional configuration which may be described as a generally inverted vee having a pair of outwardly extending flanges. The flanges are disposed on the roof. Holes extend through the flanges and adjacent portions of the inverted vee portions to allow for the draining of water. Different cross sectional configurations are illustrated, and an embossed or xe2x80x9cstuccoxe2x80x9d finish is also illustrated. The xe2x80x9cstuccoxe2x80x9d embossment helps to prevent nails, used to secure the tiles to the battens and to the roof, from wandering. Moreover, the xe2x80x9cstuccoxe2x80x9d embossment strengthens the steel to the equivalent one gauge in thickness. For manufacturing battens made of steel, a punch process is disclosed. The punch or die and press process may be used for manufacturing the battens from coils or sheets of galvanized steel, galvalume, aluminum, or other appropriate metal, or the battens, if made of a plastic material, may be appropriately molded.
Among the objects of the present invention are the following:
To provide new and useful batten strips;
To provide new and useful batten strips made of metal;
To provide new and useful batten elements having a generally inverted vee configuration with outwardly extending flanges;
To provide new and useful battens made by a punch process;
To provide a new and useful method of making a metal batten;
To provide new and useful battens made of a plastic material; and
To provide new and useful batten strips having elements formed therein to prevent nails from wandering as tiles are secured to the batten strips and to a roof.